


Maybe This Time

by FannyT



Series: Ficlet Instruments 2019 [6]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Human, Ficletinstruments, Gen, Week 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 20:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20377384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FannyT/pseuds/FannyT
Summary: Of all the lousy offices in the world, the dame had to walk into his.





	Maybe This Time

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> **Prompt:**
> 
> A weary, cynical P.I. gets a new case.
> 
> Mods, please don't include this one in the favourite fills poll.

* * *

Jace could tell right away that the dame was trouble. 

That was because the dame in question was his sister. 

“Oh, this is no good,” he said, sinking down into his office chair. She just grinned, walked past him and then, ignoring his wince, pulled up his blinds. “Why are you slumming it today, then, Detective Lightwood?”

“Mainly? Checking up on my little brother,” Izzy said. She frowned at him. “Is that yesterday’s shirt?”

“No,” Jace replied quickly. (Technically true. It was the day before yesterday’s.) “So you haven’t decided to quit the force as well and join me on the private side, then?” 

“Not sure what you did can really be called quitting,” Izzy said, raising her eyebrows. “And no.” 

She cleared her throat. “But I have something, if you’re interested.”

“Something?”

“Valentine is on the move again. But you know how it is.” Izzy dropped down into the chair in front of his desk, crossing her arms. “He still has connections within the force. I can’t start digging into him; I’ll get shut down immediately. Just like last time.”

“And what makes you think I can do something about it?” 

Izzy shrugged. “You don’t trip over his cronies wherever you go. You don’t have to follow the same rules I do. And you have a way in to his world.” Jace opened his mouth to protest, and she gave him a long look. “Meliorn has noticed you hitting the clubs a lot lately.”

“Meliorn is a snitch.” 

“I know. That’s literally what I employ him for.” Izzy leaned her head to one side. “Figured you were either circling closer to Valentine yourself, or you were in need of a distraction.”

He scoffed. “I can’t just be looking for a good time?” 

She gave him another long look, and he looked away. Izzy had always been impossible to lie to. 

“Fine,” he admitted. “But I don’t see this time being any different from before. From everything I can make out, Valentine is still as good at keeping his hands apparently clean.”

Izzy grinned at him. “That’s where I come in.” She reached into her jacket pocket and drew out a beer coaster with a little flourish. “Ta-daa.”

“Way too late for this desk already, sorry,” Jace quipped, and she rolled her eyes at him. 

“I’ve made contact with a witness on the inside.”

“And you’re sure that this one won’t disappear on you, like Hodge?”

“I can promise you, this one is different.” She slid the beer coaster towards him, grinning. “Don’t say I never brought you anything nice.” 

Jace realised suddenly how genuinely excited she was about this lead. And Izzy had amazing instincts. Maybe this could at last actually lead somewhere.

He made a show out of sighing, because he wasn’t going to be won over that easily, but picked up the coaster and read the contact details written on it. He frowned. 

“What kind of name is Clary Fairchild?”


End file.
